Community First Responder

S

Ste

Senior member
 Costa Del Barrow-in-Furness
Thinking of volunteering to be one of these. My brother in law has just finished all the training and started doing it the other day.

Anyone else do this, or know much about it?
 
"Community First Responder volunteers are trained to attend emergency calls received by the ambulance service and provide care until the ambulance arrives."

It's essentially someone trained up to advanced first aid and some basic paramedic training, who attends emergency calls where an ambulance may not be able to get to them right away, and can provide care until an ambulance arrives. I suppose it's similar-ish to being an auxiliary fireman, special constable or in the TA

For example, of a night time in Barrow where I live only 1 ambulance is on duty. My brother in law has a phone which is with him constantly. Everytime a call comes through to 999, ambulance control will text him and any other first responders in the area to see if they can go. He's got a defib, oxygen therapy kit etc in his car and can provide basic first aid, assess the situation and direct further ambulance responses.

Saved some old womans life the other day who'd got into cardiac arrest, where the ambulance was tied up elsewhere and took 15minutes to arrive.
 
just a thought, can you put blue lights on top of the zed and go through red lights etc?
 
It sounds seriously stressful and very worthwhile.

I know nothing about it but I am now wondering if I could do it myself.

plus you could justify driving with .'verve'. :evil: to yourself anyway.
 
When responding to calls you're driving under normal road laws, so can't exceed the speed limit or go through red lights or anything*

*Although i've been told off the record if you're responding to a call and pick up a speeding ticket or something, chances are you'll get off with it.

Have a look into it Finisterre, from what my brother in law has told me already, it's a really worthwhile thing to do, not least because you learn skills that could save someone you know and love.

http://www.nwas-responders.info/becoming.php
 
It's hugely worthwhile and rewarding. Take care that your insurance needs to know and may well go up as you're carrying gas. You also need to put a hazard sign on the car, a good way of spotting other first responders.
 
Everyone should learn first aid basic or otherwise but I worry how far down the line it goes for cutting services, back door methods and all that. A little like PCSOs :|

I would also be wary in these times if things go wrong when treating someone and where you stand if you were sued.

Tim.
 
I would also be wary in these times if things go wrong when treating someone and where you stand if you were sued
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Yes thats a good point actually.

My Medical Defence Union fees cover good samaritan acts.

I would assume that you are somehow covered by the charity that runs these things?

Sounds like a good thing to get involved with :thumbsup:
 
TitanTim said:
I worry how far down the line it goes for cutting services, back door methods and all that. A little like PCSOs :|

Tim.
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I think the First Responders are for areas away from urban areas. I know that areas in the Scottish Borders have a very long wait for an ambulance service. The First Responders are a real Lifeline there.

If they cut the services any further they would be left with none. :x
 
Yep, Ronk is correct.

I looked into it, but I live in an urban area, so my services are not required. Even if I wanted to do it, I couldn't with my current line of work.
 
My wife does this - LIVES first responder - and has done for a few years. As we are rural and ambulances can take quite a while to arrive, it's definitely a life saver. There are a mix of abilities and they include doctors, nurses, paramedics and responders at basic, intermediate, and advanced level. I have a lot of respect for anyone who is giving back to their community in this way...

Tapatalking...
 
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